Airplane



Jan. 14, 1941. n W wwcmw, :am LZQM AIRPLANE:

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Patented Jaa. 14, 1941 UNITED .STATES P irlsN'rV ori-*lcs Roger W. Griswold, Il, 01d Lyme, Conn., assignor to United Aircraft Corporation, East Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application october 2s, 193s, serial No. 237,453

- 1s calms. (ci. 244-42),

IThis invention relates to improvements in airplanes and has particular reference to a high-lift construction for an airplane wing.

in object of the invention resides in the pros vision oi' an improved airplane wing construction by means of which the wing may be changed from a substantially normal basic prole low-drag condition suitable for high-speed night to a multiple slot airioil arrangement, sometimes called a cascade oi airfoils, to provide unusually high lift` in the lower end of the speed range, as required for take-oli. and landing at reasonably safe speeds, especially with heavily loaded aircraft.

it. further object resides in the provision of an l5 improved high-lift airplane wing construction embodying means for delaying the stall or burble oi.' the airow over the upper surface of the-wing when the wing is in its high-lift condition and the relative airspeed is comparatively low.

d @ther objects and advantages will be more par ticularly pointed out hereinafter or will become apparent as the description proceeds.

in the accompanying drawing, in which like reference numerals are used to' designate similar parts throughout, there is illustrated, by way of example, a form of high-lift airplane wing constructed according tothe invention, and a slightly modiiied :form of airplane wing constructed according to the invention. The drawing, however,

to be taken as limiting or restricting the scope of the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims. in the drawing, Fig'. l is a partly schematic sectional view of an airplane wing constructed according to the invention when the wing is in its normal lift and minimum drag condition.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the positions of the various portions of the wing when the wing is in a high-lift condition.

ll'ig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a slightly modifled form of airplane Wing constructed according to the invention and,

Fig. d is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 show- 5 ing a still further. modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the alrfoil section of the wing as illustrated in Fig. 1 is aform primarily designed for relatively low-drag and high cruising speeds. Such a form provides 50 ample lift for sustaining the airplane while in a high-speed flight condition but, ifunchanged, would necessitate an excessively high landing speed and a long, relatively flat, high-speed glideto avoid stalling ol? the airplane while landing.

is for the purpose of illustrationonly and is not In modern types of airplanes with clean lines and heavy wing loadings, landing speeds have become dangerously high and various means have been provided to increase the lift of the airplane wing for landing. These means, in general, may take theform, among others, of movable flaps of airfoil section, located at or near the rear edge of the wing, orthe leading edge slot arrangement, located at the front or leading edge of the wing.

While such movable flaps have proven to be highly useful in reducing landing speeds and also, in some cases, improving the performance during take-off or other maneuvers, they are inherently limited as to the ultimate values of lift and type of stalling 'characteristics obtainable therewith, which renders them unsuitable to cope with certain high performance design requirements. As is well known, to those skilled in the art, the lift Yof an aircraft wing is principally a function of its profile section characteristics, the more important of which from the high-lift standpoint, are the camber, thickness ratio, and flow control ability as determined by the position of maximum cam ber along the wing chord, leading edge ratios etc.

It is, of course, apparent that when the flow over the upper surface of an airfoil is nolonger conf'trolled, i. e. after the airfoil has stalled, further increase in lift is terminated, abruptly so with certain profile sections. Flapped airfoils increase .maximum lifts by reason of the increased camber, but suffer from the same high-lift limitations as plain wings, though at a higher value of lift, when the upper surface flow breaks down. Wings of the slotted type, however, by reason of the reenergizing of the high velocity upper surface flow, have extended flow control characteristics and thus'maximum lifts, particularly with the leading edge type of slot and the slotted deflector flap. It

is also well lmown that when the maximum camber of the airfoil is located approximately at the mid-chord position, the stalling characteristics of 40 the wing are vastly improved, giving what is known as a smooth, rounded peak to the lift curve, rather than the sudden breakv or vicious stall, characteristic with many airfoils including certain so called modern types. The present invention offers a new and improved lift-increasing arrangement byA providing means to overcome the limitations inherent in the prior art. These means, as will be apparent'from the following specification, drawing and claims, employ the high-lift principles of high camber and appropriate location of its maximumY value plus re-energizing wing slots for flow control.

The wing, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, has a relatively fixed forward portion I0 65 extending rearwardly from the leading edge to approximately Yone-half of the chord length of the wing. This portion of the wing preferably includes the main wing supporting spars and braces and is rigidly secure'd to the body portion such as the hull or fuselage of the airplane. The under'portion of the wing immediately to the rear of the xed portion I0, as indicated by the numeral I2, is secured to the xed front portion or to the airplane body portion in such a manner that it is also substantially fixed relative to the body portion and forward portion I0 of the wing. This fixed under portion I2 extends rearwardly from a point approximately at the midlength of the wing chord to a location adjacent to the forward or leading edge of a movable trailing edge wing flap I4. The upper portion of the wing overlying the fixed under portion I2 is pivotally mounted about a hinge point I6 andl is movable from the neutral postion illustrated in Fig. l to the maximum lift-increasing position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. This movable upper wing portion I8 carries the hinge or pivot 20 of the trailing edge flap I4 and is movable about the pivot I6 by some suitable means which may include a line 22/"pivotally connected to an apertured lug 24 secured to the upper forward portion of the movable member I8. The flap I4 is independently movable about the pivot 20 by suitable means which may include a link member 26 pivotally connected to an apertured lug 28 projecting from the upper forward portion of the nap.

From the above description it is apparent that the movable portion I8 may be pivoted about the hinge point I6 to change the camber of the upper surface of the wing from that illustrated in Fig. 1 to the camber illustrated in Fig. 2 and that when so moved the portion` I6 carries the trailing edge ap I4 from the upper or neutral position illustrated in Fig. 1 to the lower position illustrated in Fig. 2 in which the flap becomes an external airfoil positioned below the undersurface of the remainder of the wing, the overall combination forming three highly cambered airfoils of successively greater incidence, having two, re-energizing wing slots interposed therebetween. It is also apparent that in any position ofthe member I8 the ap I4 may be independently tilted about its own pivot point 20v to further increase the mean camber of the multiple airfoil cascade and to add its lift-increasing eiect in any desired degree within the limitations of such external airfoil flaps, to the wing.

The upper rear portion of the fixed wing portion I0 is extended in the form of a thin wedge 30 overlying the forward upper portion of the member I8 and includes a curved shield member 32 within the wing, constituting one wall of an upwardly and rearwardly tapered wing slot the exit end of which is open when the member I8 is moved downwardly. When the wing is in its neutral condition the bottom opening of the airflow slot 34 may be closed by'a movable door member 36 mounted on a pivot hinge 38 secured to the fixed wing structure. When the member I8 is moved downwardly to open the upper or exit end of the slot 34 the door member 36 may be inclined upwardly from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to open the lower end of the slot 34 and at the same time constitute a portion of the forward wall of the slot. The slot 34'A is so shaped that the air flowing through the slot from the high air pressure area below the wing to the relatively low pressure area above the wing is directed along the upper surface of the member I 8 toV aerodynamically re-energize this surface when the member I6 is in its lowermost position as illustrated in Fig., 2. The door 36 is moved by suitable means which may` include a link member 40 pivotally secured to an apertured lug 42 projecting from the inner surface of the door member, and the `doorI member may be independently operated, if desired, or may be automatically opened in conjunction with the lowering of the movable member ,I8 in a manner generally similar to that shown in Griswold application Serial No. 84,908 filed June 12, 1936, which matured into United States Patent No. 2,169,416 on August 15, 1939. When such members as I8 and 36 are dependently operated they may be interconnected so that the aerodynamic forces acting upon each tends to balance the similar forces acting upon the other.

The rear edge of the movable-member I8r is also formed to have a relatively thin wedge shaped section 44 overlying the upper forward portion of the ap AI4 to provide a. wing slot 46 between the curved shield member 48 and the adjacent portion of the forward upper surface of the flap I4. As the flap I4 is carried by the movable member I8 the slot between the shield 48 and the adjacent surface of the flap I4 will be maintained at all positions of the member I8. Also since the member I8 inclines downwardly when pivoted about the hinge pivot I6 to its lower o r lift-increasing position, the inclination of the shield member 48 will be' changed to direct the air jet flowing through the slot 46 along the upper surface of the ap I4 even when the nap is drastically inclined as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. ,If desired a deector plate of the type shown in Patent Number 2,117,607 issued May 17, 1938, to Roger W. Griswold, 1I may also be used.

From the above description it is apparent that there has been provided an airplane wing construction by means of which the form of the wing may be changed from a substantially continuous airfoil section of extremely low drag and slight camber to a high-lift combination of airfoils having large camber and, two spaced wing slots for re-energizing the upper surfaces of said airfoils.

If desired theportion of the wing upper 'surface between the leading edge of the wing and the exit of the forwardly disposed wing slot 34 may also be re-energized by a suitable leading edge slot arrangement as shown in Fig. 3. In this construction va movable leading edge slot member 58 is carried by somesuitable means such as the slidable struts, as indictedvat 52, mounted in the spaced roller pairs, as indicated at 54 and 56,

secured to the xed structure within the forward Page, the struts 52 maybe moved to'project their forward ends out of and beyond the leading edge oi the wing to carry the slot member 5o to a position in which it provides a wing slot 58 between the u ndersurface of 'the slot member and the adjacent upper portion of the wing. When retracted the slot member 58 rests upon the upper forward portion of the wing surface and provides a portion of the streamlined wing lead-J ing edge as shown-in dotted lines in Fig. 3. By means of the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, which includes the double slot construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and in addition a leading edge slot. the entire upper surface of the may 7 dit be maintained' aerodynamically energized even though the wing -camber is increased tothe extreme high-lift condition obtained by tilting the member I8 and inclining the trailing edge flap I4. By thus maintaining the upper surface of the wing aerodynamically energized to delay stalling or burbling of the airflow over the upper sur tace to. a relatively high angle of incidence and simultaneously radicallyl increasing the camber of the wing a large wing lift-increasing effect may be obtained.

In the formof the invention shown in Fig. 4 the slot closure door 36 is entirely eliminated and' the forward portion of the movable member I8 is changed in such a mannerthat this member performs the function of the slot closure door 36 illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The rearward edge oi the relatively xedvleading edge wing portion iii is also somewhat modified and is provided with a continuousv wall member as indicatedat 32' curving rearwardly at both the upper and'lower surfaces of the member I0. The member I8 is provided with a curved forward extension as indicated at 6I) extending forwardly from the pivot IIB and cooperating with the rearwardly projecting lower edge 62 of the member Il) to close the slot 34 when the memberv i8 is in its uppermost position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. As the member I8 is inclined downwardly the lower forward portion of the extension 6|) is separated from the edge 62 to open the bottom of the slot tt' as the upper surface of the-member I8 simultaneously separates from the upper edge 30 of the member Ill to open the upper end of the slot tti'. The curvature of the forward portion of 'the member I8 is preferably so l,arranged that the bottom end ofl the slot 34 is opened somewhat more rapidly than the upper end to provide in the wing slot an air confinement ratio sufficient to increase the speed at which the air is projected :from the upper end of the slot and rearwardly over the uppersurface of the member I8. In the lorm of the invention shown in Fig. l the trailing edge flap I4 is also somewhat modified as indi-f cated at It' inFig. 4 and is provided along the forward portion of its upper surface with a spanwise deiiector plate 64 which cooperates with the trailing edge 44 of the member I8 to direct a flow energizing blast of air along the upper surface of this flap in all useful positions of inclination or the flap, as is particularly illustrated and described in Patent Number 2,117,607 issued May 17, i938, to Roger W. Griswold, II. If desired the member It may also be provided with a deflector plate similar to the plate 64 to assist in .malntaining the streamlined flow over the upper suriace of the member I8 at relatively high angles oi attack of the wing.

Stated in a somewhat different way, by the arrangement hereinabove described' and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, a relativelythin, low-drag moderate-lift wing can be changed, in eti'ect, into three ormore relatively thick highly cambered airfoils each disposed successively greater incidence and so positioned as to form Well proportioned flow control re-energizing wing slots between each two adjacent airfoils.

While a particular construction and arrangement and two slightly modied forms thereof have been hereinabove described, and illustrated in thev accompanying drawing, for the purpose of disclosingthe invention, it is to be understood that the invention is in 'no way limited to the particular construction and arrangement so illustrated and described vbut that suchA changes in thesize, shape and arrangement of the various parts may be resorted tof as come within the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having now described the invention so that others skilled in the art may clearly understand the same, what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is as follows.

What is claimed is:

l. An airplane wing having a spanwise section convertible from a low drag form of continuous airfoil contour to a high lift form of a plurality of slot energized airfoil members comprising, a relatively xed forward spanwise portion extending rearwardly approximately, one-half the chord length of the vwing and constituting the forward portion of'said airfoil contour, 'a movable spanwise extending upper portion immediately to the rear of said relatively fixed portion, said movable portion having a forward wall extending substantially through the thickness of the wing and hinged along its lower edge to said relatively xed portion, a lower fixed portion underlying said movable portion andspaced from said fixed forward portion, means providing an upwardly and i rearwardly directed tapered wing slot immediately in front of said forward wall having as its air entrance opening the space between said fixed wing portions, a spanwise extending door plvotally supported on said fixed forward portion for opening and closing the lower end of said wing slot, and a tiltable trailing edge fiap pivotally connected to the rearward portion of said movable wing portion.

2. An airplane wing havingv normally a chord'- wise section of continuous airfoil contour comprising, a relatively fixed forward spanwise portion extending rearwardly approximately onehalf the chord length of the wing forming the lforward part',4 of said airfoil contour, a movable spanwise upper portion immediately to the rear of said relatively fixed forward portion said movable portion having a forward wall extending substantially through the thickness of the Wing and hinged along its lower edge to said relatively iixed portion, a lower xed, portion underlying" said movable portion, meanys providing an unwardly and rearwardly directed tapered wing slot immediately in front of said forward wall opening between the adjacent edges of said fixed wing portions. a spanwise door pivotally supported on said fixed forward portion for opening and closing the,

' lower end of said wing slot, a pivotal trailing edge ,e

flap plvotally connected to the rearward portion of said movable wing portion, and means carried by said movable wing portion providing an upwardly and rearwardly directed tapered wing slot between the rearward edge or said movable wing V portion and the forward upper portion of said flap whenever said movable wi/ng portion is tilted downwardly about said hinge connection. 1',

3. An alrfoil comprising a relatively fixed portion having an upper surface and a lower surface, said lower surface having a greater length, chordwise, than said upper surface, and having an opening therein, a relatively movable member 45 normally forming a continuation chordwlse of said upper surface hinged to said relatively fixed portion adjacent said opening, means for moving said relatively movable member about said hinge to bring the rear portion thereof adjacent thev trailing edge of said lower surface and open ai wing slot having an entrance at said opening and an exit adjacent the trailing edge of said upper surface.

4. In an airplane wingxconvertible from a low u drag form of substantially continuous airfoil contour to a high lift form of spaced airfoil portions in which adjacent portions are separated by anV intervening airflow slot, a relatively fixed wing portion constituting the forward part of said Y airfoil contour, a relativelyvmov'able upper por- .wise section of substantially continuous airfoil contour comprising, a relatively fixed forward portion constituting the forward part of said airfoil contour, a relatively movable upper portion disposed immediately to the rear of said xed forward portion and pivotally connected adjacent to its lower forward edge to said fixed portion, a relatively xed lower wing portion underlying said movable upper wing portion and spaced at its forward edge from the rearward end of said fixed forward portion, said movable upper portion being movable about said pivotal connection to render said xed portions and said movable portion acomplete airfoil of continuous contour, and a tiltable flap of continuous airfoil contour carried by said movable upper portion at its rearward edge. A

6. An airplanevwing having a spanwise section convertible from a low drag form f substantially continuous airfoil contour to a high lift formof a. plurality of slot energized airfoil members comprising, a relatively xed forward portion forming the forward part of said airfoil contour, a relatively movable upper portion pivotally supported immediately-to the rear of said xed forward portion having a forward wall extending through the depth ofthe wing section, the rear side of said'xed forward portion being shaped to cooperate with said forward'wall to provide a wing `lot immediately in front of said forward wall of said relatively 'movable upper portion when said movable portionris tilted downwardly, a relatively fixed lower portion underlying said` mov- Y able portion, and a tiltable ap of continuous airfoil contour carried by said movable portion rearwardly of said fixed portion.

'2. In an airfoil having a chordwise section convertible from a low drag form of continuous airfoil contour to a high lift form of a plurality of slot energized airfoil members, a relatively fixed portion constituting the forward portion and the greater part of the lower portion of said continuous airfoil contour and having a spanwise opening therethrough, a tiltable upper portionI extending rearwardly from said opening to the termination of the lower surfaceV of said fixed portion and spaced at its rearward edge from the rearward edge of said xed` portion, a trailing edge flap extending beyond said fixed and movsubstantially continuous airfoil contour, in com bination, a main forward portion. whose upper and lower surfaces are separated a substantial distance at the rear thereof, a appositioned adjacent the rear of said main portion to constitute a continuation of' said upper and lower surfaces and complete said airfoil contour, means for moving said ap to a position below said airfoil, and means for moving the upper surface of said main portion to bring Ithe rear portion of the upper and lower surfaces of said main portion close together to form a complete airfoil contour exclusive of said ap.

9. A multipartite airfoil having a low drag yform of continuous airfoil contour comprising, in combination, a xed portion whose lower surface has a greater chordwise extent than its upper surface constituting a portion of said airfoil contour, a movable portion forming a portion of the upper surfaceA of said airfoilv contour pivoted at its forward edge to said xed portion and extending rearwardly from the rear of4 the upper surface of said fixed portion to an extent substantially equal vto the excess of the lchordwise extent of said fixed lower surface over said xed upper surface, a pivotally mounted third portion located adjacent the trailing edge of the movable portion to complete said airfoil contour, and means for moving'said movable portion to render said fixed and said movable upper surface por-y tions a complete airfoil exclusive of said third portion and to bring saidthiid portion to a position below the rear portion of theairfoil thus constituted.` Y y 10. In an airfoil having a low drag form of substantially continuous airfoil contour, in combination, a main portion having a forward part conforming to said airfoil contour, and a ap of airfoil contour at the rear of said main portion completing said contour, the rearward edges of the upper and lower surfaces of said main portion being separated by substantially the thickness of said flap, means pivotally supporting a surface portion of said main portion at a location spaced from the trailing edge of said surface portion,

means for moving said flap to a position below said main portion, and means for tilting said surface portion to decrease the space between the ,frearward edges of the surfaces of said main portion and give to said main portion acomplete airfoil contour exclusive of said ap.

11. In an airfoil having a low drag form of substantially continuous airfoil contour, -in combination, a main portion having a forward portion conforming to said contour, and a ap of airfoil contour at the rear of said main portion completing said contour, the rearward edges of the upper and lower surfaces of said main pori tiony being separated by substantially the thickness of said flap,l means pivotally supporting a surface portion of said main'portion at its location spaced from the trailing edge of said surface portion, eans for moving said, flapvto a position below said main portion, means for tilting said surface portion to close the space between the rearward edges of the surfaces of said imain portion and render said main portion a complete airfoil of continuous contour exclusive of said iiap, and means cooperating with said movable surface portion to provide a wingslot through said main portion when 'said surface portion is tilted. 12. In an airfoil a ap forming the entire rear portionof said airfoil, and means for moving the upper surface of said airfoil adjacent the leading edge of said ap to a position closer to the lower surface of said airfoil at that location and for simultaneously moving said ap from the position in which itforms the entire rear portion main part the entire airi'oii. means :for closing said gap by reducing the distance between the rear edges ot said upper and lower surfaces and for moving said nap to a. position spaced from said lower surface.

ROGER W. GRISWOLD, n. 

